IIT Madras
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (popularly known as IITM or IIT Madras) is a public technical university located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the eight public Institutes of Eminence of India. As an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), IIT Madras is also recognised as an Institute of National Importance.[6]
Motto
siddhirbhavati karmajā
Success is born out of action[1]
1959
₹700 crore (2021) (US$ 93.26 million)[2]
₹996 crore (US$120 million) (2021–2022)[3]
Pratap Haridoss, R G Robinson, R Sarathi, Mahesh Panchagnula, Shanthi Pavan, Manu Santhanam, K Murali, Sathyanarayana N Gummadi, Raghunathan Rengaswamy[4]
Prof. V. Kamakoti
684 (2023)[5]
10,180 (2023)[5]
4,722 (2023)[5]
2,738 (2023)[5]
3,337 (2023)[5]
Urban
620 acres (2.5 km2)
Maroon Gold
IITians, IITMians
Founded in 1959 with technical, academic and financial assistance from the then government of West Germany, IITM was the third Indian Institute of Technology established by the Government of India.[7][8] IIT Madras has consistently ranked as the best engineering institute in India by the Ministry of Education's National Institutional Ranking Framework since the ranking's inception in 2016.[9][10][11]
In 1956, the West German Government rendered technical assistance to establish a state of the art engineering institute in India. Soon, the first Indo-German agreement was signed in Bonn, West Germany in 1959 for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras (now Chennai). IIT Madras was started with technical, academic and financial assistance from the Government of West Germany and was at the time the largest international educational project sponsored by the West German government. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has agreed to provide the following assistance in the establishment of a higher technological institute at Madras:
This has led to several collaborative research efforts with universities and institutions in Germany over the years.[14] Although official support from the German government has ended, several research efforts involving the DAAD programme and Humboldt Fellowships still exist.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras started functioning with the first batch of 120 students being admitted in July 1959 to the first year of the Engineering Course.[15] The institute was inaugurated in 1959, by the then Union Minister for Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs. The first batch had an overall strength of 120 students from across India.[16] In 1961, the IITs were declared to be Institutes of National Importance. The first convocation ceremony was held on 11 July 1964, with Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, then the president of India, delivering the convocation address and awarding the degrees to the inaugural batch of students.[17] The institute got its first women students in the BTech batch of 1966.[18] IIT Madras celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2009, and its Diamond Jubilee in 2019.[19]
Organisation and administration[edit]
Governance[edit]
IIT Madras is an autonomous statutory organisation functioning within the Institutes of Technology Act. The twenty three IITs are administered centrally by the IIT Council, an apex body established by the Government of India. The Minister of Human Resources and Development is the chairman of the council.[29] Each institute has a board of governors responsible for its administration and control. The finance committee advises on matters of financial policy, while the Building and Works Committee advises on buildings and infrastructure.
The Senate comprises all professors of the institute and decides its academic policy. It controls and approves the curriculum, courses, examinations, and results. It appoints committees to examine specific academic matters. The director of the institute serves as the chairman of the Senate. The current director (appointed in 2022) is Kamakoti Veezhinathan,[30] who obtained his Ph.D. and M.S in CSE from IIT Madras.
Three Senate Sub-Committees – The Board of Academic Research, The Board of Academic Courses and The Board of Students – help in academic administration and in the operations of the institute. The Board of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research addresses industrial consultancy and the Library Advisory Committee oversees library matters.
IIT Madras has the following departments
University and college rankings
701–800
250
53
1
2
4
1
2
15
Alumni and Corporate Relations[edit]
Initiatives and Engagement[edit]
The Office of Alumni and Corporate Relations initiates, promotes, and facilitates connections among the diverse network of IIT Madras alumni as well as corporations. Through collaborations, mentorship programs, and knowledge-sharing initiatives, the office contributes to the institute's progress and goals. The office fosters alumni engagement with the institute through various initiatives such as organising reunions across batches, recognizes distinguished alumni, and ensures that alumni stay in touch with developments at IIT Madras through newsletters and regular communications. It is currently headed by Prof.Mahesh Panchagnula from the Dept. of Applied Mechanics, IIT Madras.[60]
Collaborations with Corporations[edit]
The office has facilitated various technology-driven social impact collaborations with various corporations and corporate foundation arms, under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India. Partnerships with both Alumni and corporatations are undertaken through the Office of Institutional Advancement which functions as part of the Alumni and Corporate Relations office.[61]
Controversies[edit]
Kiss of Love[edit]
Several members of the Hindu Munnani were arrested in November 2014 for organising a "spitting protest" outside the IIT-Madras after the institute played host to the 'Kiss of Love' campaign.[83] The members of the group gathered and started spitting at the pictures of students kissing and hugging at the kiss of love campaign the past week. Additionally, they also hurled abuse at the students.[84]
Beef Fest[edit]
In 2017, Beef fest was organised by some students from APSC to protest against the central government's ban on cow slaughter.[85] Events turned violent when a PhD student was attacked in student mess by some right wing students. Student sustained injuries and had to admit to hospital. IIT Madras had to release an official statement and a petition was filed in High Court to set up a peacekeeping committee.[86] In June 2023, High Court disposed the petition.[87]